


always up

by jaimelanniser



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Modern AU, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 17:41:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12017799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaimelanniser/pseuds/jaimelanniser
Summary: it's been months since jaime last saw brienne.





	always up

The coffee shop was busy, as usual, and Jaime was sitting at a table near the window, sipping at his cup slowly. His laptop sat in front of him, untouched for the past several minutes as he figured out how to solve the current situation.

He glanced out the window casually, leaning back in his armchair, and had to do a double take as he watched a tall head of blonde hair go through the door. Whipping his head around, Jaime leaned forward to peer at the line of people queuing for coffee on a Monday morning, to confirm his suspicions.

Yes, it was her.

A warm feeling settled in his chest at the sight, and he swallowed, licking his lips and setting his cup back onto its plate. It was idiotic to be nervous; he had nothing to be nervous  _about_.

But it had been months since he’d last seen her, and so much had changed since. He wondered if she knew what effect she had on him.

 _No,_  Jaime thought to himself as he watched her reach the counter and order something,  _probably not._

She came forward to look for a seat, scanning the tables and booths until her eyes landed on him. He saw them widen, and with a small smile, he lifted his prosthetic hand in a minute wave.

In his mind, several moments passed of silence, but it was probably only a few seconds before Brienne started walking towards him, clumsily moving between the packed tables towards the one where he was.

Jaime dropped his feet from the chair he was resting them on and offered her a seat. “Brienne,” he greeted her.

“Jaime,” she returned, not taking the seat, but standing in front of him, watching him impassively. She always did look so intense. “You look well.”

No. He looked tired and had bags under his eyes, and his beard was sort of a mess. But he did  _feel_  well. “As do you,” he replied instead. “Won’t you join me?”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on Casterly Rock business.”

So she didn’t know. As he had suspected. Brienne didn’t keep tabs on him. Why would he have expected any different?

Clearing his throat, Jaime straightened up on his seat and lowered the screen of his laptop. “I don’t work there anymore,” he informed her, looking up at her.  _Always up._

Brienne didn’t even blink, she just stared, straight at him, her blue eyes poring into his own, as if she was unearthing his every secret. Jaime felt the urge to look away, but he didn’t. She didn’t say anything for what felt like an eternity.

Then, brusquely, she sat down.

It felt like an olive branch.

“How are the Stark children?” he asked her, after a few moments of silence became awkward enough. “I’ve read they’re doing well for themselves. I assume that’s thanks to you.”

“I’ve done what I can to make them safe,” Brienne replied modestly, as she always did. “They’re strong. Stronger than you think.”

Jaime nodded. “Good. I’m glad. They need to be. It’s a ruthless world we live in.”

Brienne didn’t say anything to that, just sat there, watching him. She was always watching him. “I like your hand,” she commented after a moment.

Jaime smiled bitterly to himself, turning over his prosthetic right hand. “It’s a strange feeling. It works like a hand, but I don’t feel it.”

She nodded, looking at it, then back up to his eyes. If he wasn’t seeing things, there seemed to be a hint of a smile at her lips, so he tilted his head somewhat in question.

The girl behind the bar called out Brienne’s name for her coffee, and Brienne pushed her chair back to stand up.

“It’s good to see you again, Jaime,” she told him, her hand on the back of the chair.

He liked how his name sounded from her lips. It was a strange feeling, but he didn’t pause too long on it. “It’s good to see you, too.”

She was about to turn away when he called out again, “Brienne!” And she stopped, turned towards him expectantly. He offered her a small smile. “Let’s get together sometime soon.”

And this time, she returned the smile. And it was still there on her face as she walked away from him.

This time, Jaime knew, she wasn’t walking away for good.


End file.
